we look at spain and portugal and ireland even, get your act together. you know the problem. shake out of it. what's the world thinking when they look at us? setting up the fiscal cliff, a man-made challenge, what do they think of us? >> actually, they look at us and think we're going to work it out. >> to put it differently, they can't believe we will screw up. >> they're kind of thinking about the debt ceiling debate. they're not following this like we are. and they remember the last time we were in a situation. >> last time we got downgraded. >> it didn't seem to have much economic impact. people are just looking at us figure, oh, you know those crazy americans, they'll work it out at the last minute. >> what will they say if they get up january 2nd or 3rd after the new year and see we didn't work it out. >> it's my hope, towards later december, we'll actually have -- i want to convince people on the right, i think it's the president's job to convince the slower learners on the republican side that this is serious business. and we have a deal now, as if you know what's goi